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Religious persecution

The Association of Middle East Women's Studies (AMEWS) would like to express its solidarity with the people of Iraq who have suffered from dictatorship, economic sanctions, an invasion and occupation, years of militarization, and a new authoritarian government. The most recent suffering by Iraqis, caused by Islamic State (IS) forces, is so far mainly affecting religious minorities.

Indonesia is an archipelago country with 240 million people spread in more than 13,000 islands, living in 3 time zones, with 34 provinces and hundreds of districts/cities. It is one of the largest social media users especially among youth, not only middle-class, but also grass-roots particularly migrant workers. Known as a prominent organization founded by young women’s activists, which have been working for almost two decades, the Institute understands that combating human trafficking in a majority Muslim population country (with Christian, Catholic, Budhist, and Hindu least than 9 percent of population) will touch sensitive issues such as moral, cultural, and religious, not to mention patriarchal mindset from the government officials, parliament members, and also media, making the efforts face strong resistances and difficulties, and even threats. Some of NGOs released monitoring report on conflict showing conflict is still remains as problem. West Java is one of the highest rank province potentially effect by conflict.

A Division Bench of the High court has issued a rule nisi on the Bangladeshi government to investigate recent attacks on religious minorities as reported by the NGO Ain-O-Salish Kendra (ASK) and to submit a report on the matter by 15 January 2001.